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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24696592">Dancing in Circles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auto_Alchemechanicist/pseuds/Auto_Alchemechanicist'>Auto_Alchemechanicist</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Princess Tutu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, fakir is so soft for duck okay, theyre so cute and i want them to be happy okay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:08:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24696592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Auto_Alchemechanicist/pseuds/Auto_Alchemechanicist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She couldn’t dance. </p>
<p>He knew this perfectly well. </p>
<p>Still, for some reason or another, he agreed to help her practice to improve her form. Her request was something he couldn’t deny because even if he didn’t openly admit it, Fakir was proud of Duck for wanting to do better. She spaced out in that big head of hers, but deep down, she was determined in reaching the goals she set for herself. Duck, despite being a bird, was a stubborn mule.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ahiru | Duck/Fakir (Princess Tutu)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dancing in Circles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a (late) birthday gift for my friend, scaridae / razzmatazzz on tumblr! We've been screaming about fakiru and crying about how soft they are, so I wrote something for them so they could keep screaming with me lmfao. Thank you for being such a great friend!! I hope you had a wonderful birthday!!</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu. I just borrow Ikuko Itoh's characters and play Barbies with them.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She couldn’t dance. </p>
<p>He knew this perfectly well. </p>
<p>Still, for some reason or another, he agreed to help her practice to improve her form. Her request was something he couldn’t deny because even if he didn’t openly admit it, Fakir was proud of Duck for wanting to do better. She spaced out in that big head of hers, but deep down, she was determined in reaching the goals she set for herself. Duck, despite being a bird, was a stubborn mule. </p>
<p>“If my dancing doesn’t impress Mr. Cat by our next exam, he’ll drop me to the probationary class again,” Duck moaned, her head nestled on her folded arms that rested on top of Fakir’s kitchen table. “And he said that this time, I’d stay there permanently for the remainder of the school year.” She hid her face and sighed, and Fakir could only look at her as he sipped coffee from his mug. </p>
<p>“How often do you practice?” he asked her, setting his mug down. </p>
<p>“Every day!” Duck’s head snapped up to look at him. “I go home late every day because he makes me stay to practice. But even then, he says he doesn’t see any progress and I’m getting tired of always going back and forward in classes.” With her face in her hands, she pouted in self-pity. The furrow of her eyebrows made her look adorable...but she was angry and it wasn’t like Fakir was going to openly admit his slight admiration...for now. </p>
<p>“Do you practice by yourself or with other people around?” Fakir continued to probe her for information. Surely, there must be an issue if she can’t get to dance better despite every day practices. </p>
<p>“Well, sometimes I practice by myself,” Duck answered, her right index finger pressing against her chin as she recalled the times she spent alone in the large dance room, music playing in the background courtesy of Mr. Penguin. </p>
<p>“And how does that go?” </p>
<p>“I...I get distracted easily.” She shrunk into herself, sheepishly looking away from Fakir. </p>
<p>“<em> How </em> do you get distracted?” He raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “The room is empty.”</p>
<p>“People pass by and I can’t help looking at them!” Duck admitted. “So I stop to see them and then I wonder where they’re going, if they are having fun with their friends, or--or why do they look so sad or lonely?--and there was this girl that was picking flowers along the window and--”</p>
<p>“I get it,” Fakir raised his free hand to stop her. As interesting as her observations sounded, her rambles weren’t exactly helping to get to the root of the problem. Although, people watching should be considered as a potential issue, but he’d address that later. “You mentioned that ‘sometimes’ you practice by yourself. Do classmates ever join you?” </p>
<p>“Oh! My friends, Pique and Lilie, keep me company on days when they aren’t busy,” Duck nodded. “I get to concentrate a lot better when they’re around, but they can also distract me, so it really depends on what we’re talking about.” </p>
<p>“Which do you prefer for practicing?” Fakir asked, knowing more or less the answer from what she told him. He just wanted for her to know the answer herself.</p>
<p>“I tend to do better when I’m around others...I see Pique and Lilie practicing and they motivate me to keep going, too,” she sighed before reaching for her mug of tea. “Say, Fakir? How do you practice?” </p>
<p>He reached for his mug once again. “I prefer practicing by myself,” he answered. “There’s choreography that I like that tends to be fast-paced. But there were times that Mytho and I kept each other company; not often, though.” </p>
<p>“How do you concentrate so well on your own?” Duck asked incredulously. </p>
<p>Fakir shrugged. “That’s the way I like to practice. Having a group of people around can be distracting for me if it’s not class. Groups tend to be loud, and if they don’t take it seriously, it makes it harder to focus.” </p>
<p>“So you and I are total opposites with that, then.” Duck frowned at his response. Perhaps dancing wasn’t her calling, but still Fakir remembered the multiple times she had put in the effort, even if the results were disastrous. </p>
<p>“I guess we are.” </p>
<p>She sighed once again--in defeat or exasperation, Fakir wasn’t sure--but still, she mulled over her options. </p>
<p>“What about getting a partner to practice with you?” he suggested. “Someone who can keep you in check so you stay focused.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, but I don’t know who’s willing to stay with me and...yell...at…” Her gaze went from her mug to Fakir’s face and stared at him for a moment before smiling at him, a wide grin similar to that of the cheshire cat from that creepy Wonderland fairytale. </p>
<p>It was Fakir’s turn to sigh, crossing his arms as he did so. “There’s probably better dance partners for you--”</p>
<p>“Maybe! But I don’t know anyone who would get after me if I don’t stay focused!” Duck was excited, struck with the brilliant idea to get him, of all people, to practice with her. “Besides...you’re part of the advanced class; you know a lot…. Please?” There was a gleam in her eyes--the type he only got to see when she was Princess Tutu--directed at him, begging for him to see her point and agree with her. There she went, looking adorable once again. And if Fakir hadn’t been so invested in her well-being or being her friend, he would have dismissed this as an attempt to persuade him. </p>
<p>But...when she asked while making <em> that </em>expression, how could Fakir refuse?</p>
<p>He closed his eyes to recollect himself, steeling himself for the commitment he was about to make. “Fine, but only with the condition that we practice away from the windows that keep you distracted.” </p>
<p>“Okay, that’s fair,” Duck nodded. </p>
<p>“And if your friends come into the room, you have to make sure to keep practicing. You can chat with them after your practice is over.” </p>
<p>“<em> Our </em> practice,” Duck corrected.</p>
<p>“Right,” Fakir muttered. </p>
<p>Who was he to say no when he felt proud of her determination?</p>
<p>They set up a schedule, discussing days and times that worked for them both, as well as what she needed work on. To Fakir, it was easy; he knew how to do those steps with his eyes closed, expertly being able to move across the room. </p>
<p>Maybe it was a good idea for Duck to get a decent tutor. </p>
<p>And if she thought he would go easy on her, then she was wrong. Oh, so <em> very </em> wrong.</p>
<p>Fakir was tougher than Mr. Cat himself and he had Duck sweating and panting after a few minutes of starting their first practice. She showed him her form and he corrected her, and only then was she able to maneuver herself in a different way--the right way--so she could get through the practice. The basics were the most important because they were the foundation of dancing. And if she didn’t keep a proper form, then one way or another she would injure herself, and she would end up butchering the steps. It took a lot of strength to do what they did.</p>
<p>She took short breaks to drink water, but once they’d continue, it was a test of endurance for them both. For Duck, it was staying committed and focused, wanting to prove to Fakir and to herself that she had what it took to be a ballerina. For Fakir, it was his patience, and he knew it was thin and he was short-tempered; but spending time with Duck helped him practice having this virtue. She could be frustrating and he would have her start over at times, but it was all for the same purpose. Fakir be damned if Duck didn’t improve by the following week. </p>
<p>Sure enough, Monday morning after their stretching exercises were completed and the classes were broken up into their respective sections, Mr. Cat had Duck and her classmates perform steps across the room as a warm-up. As for Fakir and his class, they practiced something more advanced, but it was to be expected and Duck couldn’t help but look over in his direction to observe. </p>
<p><em> ‘Maybe someday, I’ll join him </em>,’ she thought. </p>
<p>Fakir sensed someone staring at him and turned to look for the person responsible to glare at them and make them stop, but when his eyes locked on Duck’s, he mouthed “Focus” before glancing at their teacher. </p>
<p>She nodded enthusiastically and turned in time to have Mr. Cat call for her to complete the exercise. Green eyes continued to follow her as she performed her assigned step and if anyone saw Fakir smile for that short second of pride that lit his face, well, then nobody commented on it. </p>
<p>They went on about their lessons and Mr. Cat dismissed his students for their following classes. </p>
<p>“Fakir!” Duck called as she approached him, joining him on the floor to mimic his stretches to cool down. </p>
<p>He lost count at that and gave her the glare he had been saving for prying eyes earlier on in class. “What?” he frowned. </p>
<p>“Did you see me today? I did all my dance steps and I didn’t stumble at all!” she cheered, her smile wide on her lips. </p>
<p>His chest swelled and fluttered at the sight of her joy, and his eyes softened at her excitement. “I did see. You did very well today.” </p>
<p>“Thanks. Are we practicing today?” It seemed that her smile would permanently stay in its place...and Fakir didn’t mind that one bit. </p>
<p>Nodding, he straightened up to look at her, having finished his stretching exercises. “Same time.” </p>
<p>She got up first, waving at him as she left to join her friends in the girls’ locker room, but before he could move, Mr. Cat approached him. </p>
<p>“Forgive my intrusion, Mr. Fakir,” he began. “But I couldn’t help but overhear that you and Ms. Duck will be practicing together.” </p>
<p>“That’s right,” Fakir answered. “She has requested I help her practice.”</p>
<p>“I see,” his teacher nodded. “It seems Ms. Duck has improved. I was surprised by her poise. She was even able to concentrate in class today.” </p>
<p>Fakir nodded. “She has been working on that as well.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know how you’re doing it, but your tutoring is getting through her. I have feared she may be losing her interest in the art, but with this improvement...well, we can make a ballerina of her yet,” Mr. Cat smiled. </p>
<p>“If that happens, it would be because of her efforts,” Fakir countered. “We are simply helping her tap into her talents.”</p>
<p>“How right you are, Mr. Fakir. I believe she is in good hands.” </p>
<p>It didn’t feel right to take credit for Duck’s improvements. Fakir agreed to help her because she wouldn’t take no for an answer, and he wanted to see her happy, too. But any performance she gave came from her own energy and drive. It was only fair to let her keep the spotlight when she had so justly earned it. Fakir was proud of her. </p>
<p>She couldn’t dance, not like a prima ballerina just yet. </p>
<p>He knew this perfectly well.</p>
<p>But Fakir be damned if he didn’t help her reach her dream.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is set some time after season 2 starts, since Fakir is home and Duck hangs out with him. I just wanted for Duck and Fakir to practice dancing together and I think the series kinda missed out on the opportunity to have them bond together like that. But alas, it is my job to provide this content. I wanted to add Uzura in here, but I didn't, rip. Next time when I write another fic, she will be there with fakiru. &lt;3 Also, idk what type of class Fakir is in, but I assume the boys have their own advanced class so that's where Fakir is in my headcanon. ANYWAY, please let me know what you think by leaving me a comment!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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